Just Hate Me
Chapter 3
Sonic sped through the rain forest, Knuckles somewhere behind him. He breathed deeply, his head splitting painfully. Everything was his fault. Leaving Tails had been a mistake, his own selfish need to get away, and Sonic had played on it. He raced faster and faster through the forest, past all the other lands he had come too, kept running until he could no longer hear Knuckles hard footfalls behind him.
Hang on, Tails, he thought, racing faster, his feet already aching. Please...I'm coming...
He was almost there, almost home. It wouldn't be long now. He hoped he would make it, hoped Tails would forgive him for leaving. Tears stung his eyes, and he growled, running, running, running...
xxx
Tails finally woke up, his vision blurry and twisted. He couldn't move, could hardly breath, and carefully took small breaths, just enough to keep him conscious. He looked toward the door, hoping, praying to see Sonic. But again, there was nothing there, and Tails blinked, the room twisting and spinning around him.
Tails smiled slightly, his eyes heavy. He could no longer feel any pain, he couldn't feel the heaviness of the metal anymore. He felt like he was floating. His vision became slightly clearer, and he watched the door with drooping eyes.
Then, he saw a sight he thought he'd never see again, just as he felt the darkness trying to claim him again. His entire body clenched together as it had before, but he kept forcing breaths, his smile still on his face as he watched the blue blur race into the house.
"Tails!"
"...Sonic..."
xxx
Something was wrong...Sonic could feel it.
He was in the Mystic Ruins now, and he didn't slow down as he leaped off the mountains. He kept running, full speed, right up the hill and up to the house.
His entire body clenched together. Something...something wasn't right.
He sped toward the house. The door was open. Looking inside, he saw Tails, lying on the couch...a strange smile on his face. The sunlight glittered off of the metal appendages, but Sonic ignored it.
Something was wrong...just in the way Tails looked.
His small body was stiff, and he hardly seemed to be breathing. Sonic felt his heart stop, and he skidded to his own stop beside Tails inside the house.
"Tails!" he shouted.
"...Sonic..." he heard the kitsune whispered, breathlessly, and Sonic, feeling the tears in his eyes, quickly scooped the kitsune off the couch, falling to the floor with the now super heavy Tails in his arms.
Tails didn't used to be heavy at all...Sonic swallowed the lump in his throat, looking down at the kitsune in his arms. Tails looked up at him, and Sonic could tell he was forcing himself to breath.
"Hey, lil' buddy," Sonic whispered, tears in his eyes as he forced a smile. Tails smiled up at him, his eyes half closed.
"Sonic..." Tails breathed, blinking slowly. Sonic kept his fake smile on his face, lifting his knees to best support the kitsune in his arms. "Sonic...you came back..."
Sonic swallowed again. "Yeah, Tails...I'm...I shouldn't have left...I...I'm really sorry I did, I just can't..." He closed his eyes, his words lost in his throat. "I'm sorry, Tails. I really am...I'm so sorry." Tears began to leak from the hedgehogs eyes and he reopened them to look at Tails.
